Guinea Pig
by RedOrBlue
Summary: Signet, a Matrix fan, is invited to a lab to see her new friend's project. She doesn't know that she is planned to be the test rabbit of an unusual and very dangerous project... please review!
1. chapter 1

I still don't own the Matrix. This is based on another dream I had, and I had to turn this into fanfic again, or my brain would be stolen. Not your usual Matrix fanfic XD More parts soon.

Chapter 1

Dust whirled as the bus drove past Signet. She pulled a note out of her bag and examined it. Yes, she had gotten off at the right bus station. Pocketing the piece of paper, she looked around to see where she was supposed to go. The big grey building, where her new friend worked, was not possible to miss. She crossed the road and found the entrance door. It was locked, but there was a bell there. After pushing the button, she stepped back and started pondering on the reason she was here this early morning.

Mitai was a friend of the family Signet had spent some time with recently. Even though Mitai was over 10 years older than her, they got along well. They had talked on the phone and online several times, and Mitai had especially showed interest in Signet's lucid dreams. Also, they both loved the Matrix movies, and they had spent quite some time discussing the trilogy. About a week ago, Mitai had called her and invited her to come to her workplace to look at her current project. She worked at a large laboratory, and the current project had been very time consuming so far. Mitai had told her new friend that it was getting close to done, and that it could make her very rich. There were only three scientists working on it, and she was in charge. Signet was very interested and curious, and the fact that the family friend had been so vague when telling about the work, she wanted to see it even more.

Her trail of thought got broken as Mitai opened the door. She was wearing a white lab coat over her normal clothes, and an ID badge. "Signet, good to see you! I hope you didn't have any problems finding the place?" Mitai hugged Signet, who just smiled.

"It was no problem. It was just to get off the right stop, and that is just across the street." Mitai nodded, and showed her inside.

"I would invite you to my apartment," Mitai said, "but it's honestly a mess right now." Her apartment was right across the street, which was vey handy when working early morning and late nights. "How about we go to the kitchen area? You see, this is a very big lab, even thought not many people work here. I will give you the tour later. There is also a guest room here for you, if you miss the last bus"

Signet nodded. Mitai took her to the kitchen, a small room with steel cabinets, a sink, a refridgerator and some random kitchen appliances. Signet took a good look around her as she got seated with Mitai. "I know it's not much," Mitai said, "but this is where we have our meals between the working." She picked up a coffee cup from the countertop, and drank from it. "Still hot. So tell me, how are you doing? How is school?"

"Oh, not much to tell. I get average grades, as usual. Hey, maybe you can help me with my science homework?" Mitai nodded happily. "Oh, and I'm gonna audition for the school play. I even helped write it. But can't you show me your project soon?"

"Oh now, we have all day. I haven't even showed you the main lab yet! But for now, I guess you must be thirsty from that bus ride." Mitai turned her back to Signet and got busy filling a mug with warm water and a tea bag. Then she handed Signet the mug, and asked in a sweet voice: "Tea?" Signet smiled, and took the cup. It wasn't too warm, so she took a few sips. Mitai started talking again. "Now, tell me more about what you have been doing lately," she asked with interest.

"Not too much. Been studying hard for some tests at school, and spent some time online." She yawned, and took another sip.

"How's your brother? He moved out, didn't he?"

"Yeah, a month ago. Actually, he lives close to here. I'm planning to visit him before I go home..." Suddenly, Signet got problems keeping her eyes open. She felt dead tired.

"Signet? Are you ok?"

She didn't get to answer. She saw Mitai stand up, then everything faded to black.


	2. chapter 2

I didn't get much response on part 1, but more things are happening in this part. I hope to get more reviews this time :) It might be a while until I post part 3, as it's not finished.

Chapter 2

Her head felt so heavy. Signet blinked, and slowly rolled over as she noticed she was laying down. She groaned, and opened her eyes slowly. Where was she? Her eyes stung a little, and she found herself on a bed in a small room. There was a nightstand next to her, with a lamp on that was turned on. But there was no windows in the room. Feeling curious and confused, Signet sat up in her bed. She was fully clothed. What was the last thing she could remember? Right.. she was with Mitai in the kitchen part of the lab. She must have passed out right after that. Weird, considering it was morning then, she thought, but then again she had hardly slept the night before and had to get up early to catch the bus. Mitai could probably answer this mystery too, so Signet stood up to find her. Dizzyness overwhelmed her, and she had to sit down and try again. "I probably have the flu..." she sighed, and finally walked out the door.

Signet found herself in a long hallway, and she walked down it to find out where Mitai might be. It was still light outside, so she couldn't have been out for long. Finding a door that had a "main lab" sign on it, she opened it and looked in.

"Signet! There you are, now come here so I can show you. Slept well?" Mitai's voice sounded sugar sweet. Signet walked in, and closed the door. There was another man in there, also in a white lab coat and an ID badge. Before she got to answer, her scientist friend went on: "This is Menlo. He has helped me alot on this project. Besides us and another partner who is somewhere else in the lab now, no one else has seen this project. So feel honoured." Mitai smiled.

"So tell me, what is the project about?" Signet's head still felt funny, and she rubbed her forehead with her hand.

"Well, I know you love the Matrix triology, and you want to play The Matrix Online when it is launched, right?" Signet nodded, and groaned because it hurt doing so. "Good, because I need you to alpha test this. As I heard you often have lucid dreams, I realised you would be perfect for this."

Signet stared at her. "What are you telling me?"

"Well, my partners and I... we have created our own Matrix. All we need now is to test it." Signet's first reaction was to laugh.

"Really? You're kidding, right?" Signet smiled as she giggled. "No really, what is your project about?"

"I'm serious." She pointed to Signet's side. "Right there is it. All we need." Signet looked to the corner, and she saw a group of huge computers standing there, along with a desk with several monitors. There was also a recliner chair there, very much like the ones in the triology. This one was just not worn out yet.

Signet couldn't help but smile. This couldn't be serious. "I can't test... I have no head plug." she laughed.

"Oh, but you do!" Mitai said in her sweet voice and smiled. Signet suddenly looked very serious. She hesitated, then put her hand to the back of her head. As she did so, she felt something hard there. Her finger slid over the round metal surface. She also felt that parts of her hair was shaved off. Indeed, she now had a cranial jack. Signet freaked out.

"You gotta be kidding me!! What have you done to me?!" Signet backed away, and walked into the wall.

"Calm down, Signet..."

"No! Get this thing off me..."

"Menlo, now!" The two people grabbed her, and partly dragged and carried her over to the recliner chair. She was pinned down, and Menlo held a firm hand on her forehead. Before she got to protest any further, the spike slid into the plug. She tried to scream, and for a split second she felt a sharp pain in the back of her head, and her whole body went numb. At the same time, everything changed around her.


	3. chapter 3

After abandon this story from the lack of feedback I figured I'd give it a second chance. Please, please review!

I don't own the Matrix, only my characters ect....

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The first thing Signet felt was a breeze of cold air. Her vision was blurred for a few moments, then it cleared and she was able to take a proper look at her surroundings.

She was standing in the middle of a street. There were tall buildings around her, but not a single car nor any people around. Signet took a few steps and glared up at the cloudy sky. This was amazing. Maybe this wasn't so bad after all? Even though she had been forced into this project...

She jumped at the sound of a cell phone ringing, and it came from her own pocket. By instinct, Signet picked it up and answered. At the instance she put it to her ear, she heard her "Friend's" voice.

"Good Signet, you are in. How are you feeling?" Mitai actually sounded concerned.

"You know I didn't volunteer for this" Signet said in a stern and almost hurt tone.

"We didn't have that option. Now, it's very important that you co-operate with us and do exactly as I tell you to..."

"What if I don't?"

"Then your life will be in danger..."

Signet interrupted. "Is that a threat?" she said in an offensive tone.

"No. As I said, this will be the first actual test, and we can't guarantee that everything run smoothly. So if you don't co-operate, you might put your life in danger, against our will of course." Mitai's voice was so annoyingly calm. Signet spent a few moments thinking of what Mitai just said. She felt that she had only one choice.

"Fine. I'll do as you say."

"Good choice. Now, to your right there is a door. Go inside, and find the elevator. Don't hang up." Signet spotted the glass door to her right and she stepped inside. This felt so real, yet so absurd. She was still against this project; it felt so wrong to do something like this. But what could she do? Nothing, at least not as long as she was jacked in here. She would have to see what was going to happen as soon as they jacked her out. They would do that, right?

Signet stopped at the elevator, and Mitai spoke to her again. "There is a hands free set in your pocket. Plug it in, and put the plug in your ear." Signet did so, and stepped inside the elevator.

"Good. Get to the third floor, and enter the next door. You will enter an apartment." Signet did as requested. She went in the front door, and looked around. It was dark and ugly; Mitai sure wasn't an interior designer.

"There will be a desk with a computer on in here. We will use it to test the connection between the Matrix and outside." Signet spotted it by the window, and she sat down in the chair. She let the cell phone slip back into her pocket, and put the plug in her ear.

"Locate the file called 'connection.exe' and activate it." It was easy to find, the computer was turned on and the file was on the desktop. She clicked it, and something loaded.

"Connection works fine," Mitai said happily.

"Thank you for your help."

"You are welcome" Signet said in a very sarcastic tone. "Am I done now?"

"Afraid not. You still haven't met my Agent."

"What??" Signet remembered the cold-hearted Agent programs from the movies too well. Not even in her wildest dreams would she think that she would stand face to face with an Agent.

"Go back the same way you came. He will be waiting for you on the street. And he won't hurt you." Signet didn't answer. She reluctantly took the elevator down and went back into the street. And sure enough, there was an Agent there. He took a few steps towards her as he spoke.

"Greetings miss Signet. I'm Agent Black." Signet was intimidated; she just nodded and smiled slightly. Just how smart was this Agent? She stared at him, as he was standing there in front of her in his perfect suit and sunglasses. Agent Black cocked his head slightly to the side, and looked back at her. "Well?" he said.

"Go on, talk to him," Mitai said. "I need to test his AI." Signet felt awkward talking to an AI. She had no idea what to say. There was another pause before she spoke.

"So, um, do you like it in here?" As soon as she had talked she realised how dorky that question sounded. But the agent answered.

"Well now, I don't have any feelings like that. I am programmed to be only in here, so I don't know of anything else. This is my reality." Signet nodded, and thought again.

"What is your purpose in here? I mean, I'm not unwanted or anything..."

"I'm simply here to make sure everything runs smoothly from the inside. Without me, this Matrix wouldn't be possible." Agent Black smiled.

"And what is the purpose of this Matrix?" Signet felt more confident.

"I do not know, my creator haven't told me."

"Grammar slip." She didn't even think before she commented on the fact that the Agent said 'haven't' instead of 'hasn't'. The Agent looked at her and opened his mouth. Then something weird happened. A piece of paper flew between them, it did a loop in the air. A second after, she saw the same piece of paper fly between them and do the loop. Agent Black no longer looked serious, he looked hostile as he put his hand into his coat.


	4. chapter 4

"There is a glitch... Run!"

Signet ran for it, she span around and bolted down the street. "What just happened??" she yelled into the hands free set.

"I don't know, suddenly something changed and I lost control! We need to get you out of there!" Mitai didn't want this project to fail, but right now things just turned to the worse and it didn't look good.

"How?" Signet tried hard not to panic. She prayed that Mitai hadn't made the Agent as powerful as they were in the movies.

"A hard-line, of course! I'm afraid the closest one just malfunctioned, you have to keep running down that street and get to the phone booth on the other side of the railroad." Mitai spoke as fast as she could. Signet ran as fast as she could, but she could hear a gunshot ring out behind her. The Agent was after her.

"Why did you have to code him a gun??" Signet yelled as she seemed to approach a train station. She could hear a train approach in the distance, and there was a wide double track next to the station building. But as she got closer she saw a problem. The tracks were fenced in, but she saw a set of ramps on each side of the tracks that were in front of her. Signet then focused her mind on one specific task; jumping over the tracks. The Agent was catching up, so this was her only chance.

Signet wasn't tired from the run. She was very aware of the fact that this was like being in a dream, she should be able to manipulate like it was one. Right now that would include jumping over two very wide train tracks, and also right in front of a train... it was approaching the station. Signet ran up one ramp, and jumped... She closed her eyes the moment she was in the air, having that unreal feeling she had when she had a lucid dream. But this time it was slightly different. The agent had stopped by the fence, and fired two shots at her. Time seemed to slow down as she was in mid-air, and one bullet penetrated her right shoulder, and another whizzled past her arm and tore her skin up. The adrenaline kick dulled the pain, but the moment she landed on her feet on the other ramp, she yelled out some un-feminine words as she pain shot through her arm and shoulder. She had hardly paid attention to the train, but as it passed her she realised she had barely missed it.

The sound of a phone brought her back to her senses, and she spotted the phone booth further up the road. The long train passing gave her shelter from the Agent, and she was able to make her way to the phone. "I made it..." she mumbled to herself as she grabbed the receiver and put it to her ear. There was a weird suction feeling, and she opened her eyes wide in the real world. She had made it out.

"What do you think you are doing... get that spike out..." Signet gasped, her right arm still hurt, and there were purple bruises where the bullets had hit her. She tried to sit up, but she was strapped to the chair. Mitai was still sitting behind the computer screens, and her partner was standing next to Signet. "Set me free!" she yelled at him, and tried to move her arms.

"Easy Signet, it's almost over now..." Mitai said with a soothing voice to Signet who was struggling to break free. Suddenly Signet felt a rush of... something... in her mind, and again she passed out.


	5. chapter 5

Last chapter of my last fanfic. Still only one review, I don't know what's wrong with this. I still hope for a review, though...

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Mitai let out a sigh of relief as Menlo pulled out the plug of the unconscious girl. "Are you sure her memory from the last 48 hours are completely deleted?" he asked with concern.

"Positive. She will only remember the bus ride, and that's it." She hit a few keys and got up from her chair.

"And how are you going to explain to her the fact that she has a plug in the back of her head when she wakes up?" He gave her a stern look.

"Come on, Menlo, have you not paid attention? The medical team is already ready to replace the plug with a steel plate. She will be told she was in a car accident as she crossed the street to get her. And poor girl, she was hurt pretty badly and needed head surgery." Mitai did a fake sad face as she opened the straps on Signet.

"And what will happen to the project now?"

"It will have to be put on hold. It seems that we lack the programming skills or even the programming language to create a flawless Matrix. But I promise you I won't give up. Now, would you mind carry our guinea pig to the surgery?"

Menlo nodded and picked Signet up in his arms. Mitai spoke as they made their way through the hallway. "At least we know where to find her when we need a tester for the next time." Menlo sighed and nodded. He hoped the girl would be ok for now.


End file.
